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Tactical Station
The Main Bridge station dedicated to defensive systems control and starship internal security is Tactical. As currently configured on the USS Solstice, Tactical occupies 2 Consoles to the Starboard side of the bridge. While the length of the control/display panel can accommodate three crew, most scenarios will see the Security Officer conducting operations . Even during crisis situations, when action levels are highest, a single tactical officer will respond in the least ambiguous manner, with a minimum number of significant order confirmations and command interrogatives. A second Tactical Officer will be available as necessary, in.the event the senior officer is called to Away Team duty or is otherwise indisposed. Shipboard Security Functions Part of the default control layout presents the Security Officer with information readouts dealing with the internal protection of the Solstice and its crew. The first tier of coverage involves a benign, low-level approach, watching over basic crew safety. The second tier activates during diplomatic and cultural missions, providing security for ambassadorial personnel or other important visitors. As an adjunct to these measures, high-level counterintelligence measures may be brought into play to negate possible sabotage or terrorist penetrations on board the Solstice. Security teams can be directed from Tactical via voice command or keyed instructions by the Security Officer or authorized deputy. Armory inventories, Security team personnel assignments, and detailed directives are but a few of the items handled with panel inputs. Starship Defense Functions The very survival of the ship will often rest in the hands of Security Officer in the performance of operations in hazardous situations including close-in missions to energetic celestial objects, dealing with dangers posed by certain artificial constructs, and potential hostilities with Threat vessels. A wide variety of systems are available to the Security Officer from the Tactical station, including the ship's defensive shields, phaser banks, and photon torpedoes, all first-line devices. Tactical coordinates with the Flight Control Officer and Operations positions in all situations involving external hazards. Guidance and navigation information, targeting data, and external communications are networked through all three stations, providing expanded options for dealing with unknowns as they present themselves. Other systems that may be commanded by Tactical include long- and short-range sensor arrays, sensor probes, message buoys, and tractor beam devices. WEAPONS CONTROL Since photon torpedoes are classified as semi-autonomous weapons, initial firing direction is not a major concern. Most firings involve direct fore or aft vectors, within ten degrees of the vehicle centerline. When required, rapid trajectory changes may be executed following launch to achieve target acquisition, cruise tracking, and terminal guidance. This is utilized with numerous preprogrammed starship maneuvers, momentarily disabling Conn bridge station attitude and translational panel inputs. Targets within twenty-five kilometers involve launch followed immediately by a fast breakaway to guarantee that the starship will remain outside the explosion hazard radius, which is variable with yield. Sensor blinding of pursuing Threat vessels can be attempted by aft volley firings of four or more weapons. Combinations of many factors, including warp or impulse velocity changes, volley firing spread angles, and warhead yield are sorted and matched to Threat vehicles. Targeting is directed by the Tactical Officer following command authorization. Target detection and prioritization are orchestrated by the Tactical Officer with interactive prompts and responses from the computers. Torpedo sensors and guidance circuits are configured by the tactical situation controller to sense specific EM and subspace energies, and will perform homing maneuvers most suitable to the scenario. While Threat defenses exist against photon torpedoes, including high-energy deflector shields and active torpedo countermeasures, improvements in tactical algorithm creation routines are constantly being applied. Phaser "dimpling" of a Threat shield can sometimes allow torpedo penetration for detonation within the outer shield layers, constraining the explosion and causing almost total vaporization of the Threat rather than vessel fragmentation. Category:Command Category:Tactical Category:Crew Systems Category:Bridge Stations